BYD launches the Qin Max EV for half the price of a Tesla Model 3 — SkimNews
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- BYD launched the Qin Max EV starting at 109,900 yuan (~$16,500) — roughly half the Tesla Model 3 RWD's 235,500 yuan ($35,000) starting price in China, and slotted above the Qin L in the company's lineup.
- The Qin Max EV offers CLTC range up to 391 miles (630 km) on the higher configuration, versus the Model 3 RWD's 634 km (394 miles), and runs on BYD's Blade Battery 2.0 with Flash Charging that takes the pack from 10% to 70% in five minutes and to 97% in nine.
- God's Eye B ADAS comes standard on the Qin Max with a roof-mounted LiDAR enabling Navigation on Autopilot in cities and on highways — features the article notes were previously reserved for higher-priced BYD vehicles.
- A Qin Max DM-i plug-in hybrid variant starts at 99,900 yuan (~$15,000), pairing a 1.5-liter engine with a 234 hp motor for a combined CLTC range of 1,472 miles (2,370 km) and a pure-electric range of 199 miles.
- The Seal 06, launched by BYD days earlier at the same 109,900 yuan price, is effectively the same electric sedan as the Qin Max — identical pricing, with the only difference being the Ocean Series versus Dynasty nameplate.
- The Qin Max measures 4,866 mm long with a 2,820 mm wheelbase — slightly longer than the Model 3 — and features a 15.6-inch center infotainment screen and 8.8-inch driver display.
Why it matters: In China's market, a Tesla Model 3 now costs more than twice as much as BYD's newest Model 3-sized sedan while offering modestly less range — and BYD is throwing in LiDAR-based driver assists and 10%-to-70% charging in five minutes at that lower price, intensifying the pricing pressure Tesla already faces in the world's largest EV market.
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